Friends and Foes
by unicorn-skydancer08
Summary: Tumnus must go against all odds to retrieve a very special friend from a dangerous enemy who harbors an old grudge along with a sinister plot. Rated "T" for some dark moments, violence, and peril.
1. Chapter 1

**Friends and Foes**

_And now we are back to the Narnia stories! I promise to write other stories as well; it's just that I love Narnia so much. I liked the books well enough when I was growing up ("The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" was always my most favorite), but it wasn't until the new movies by Disney and Walden Media came out that I became the devoted fan I am today! And writing about Tumnus and Lucy and the gang is simply too dang fun! _

_Anyway, I present to you my seventh story, "Friends and Foes", a story about Tumnus and his friend Terence, my OC from previous stories. Enjoy the story, but please keep in mind that Terence belongs to me, and that he is __NOT__ to be used in any other stories without my expressed permission. Tumnus belongs to C.S. Lewis, but Terence is totally, utterly, completely, 100% __MINE__. _

_Your honesty is greatly appreciated. _

_Now that I got that out of my system, read on! And please leave me a review or two, if you can! No one's forced to review this, obviously; but it would make me very, very happy if you did. _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 1**

Terence was feeling lonely. The young white-haired human (well, in truth, he was a young unicorn who had been changed _into_ a man, not so very long ago) was tramping alone through the woods, wishing he had someone to keep him company.

It was a beautiful sunlit day, but the bright sunshine, the clear azure sky, and the cool breeze did little to raise his spirits. Normally Terence was a lively, chipper fellow; but today, it was taking nearly all of his strength and will just to get his legs to move. His lofty shoulders drooped, his head lolled from his neck, and his feet felt like lead weights.

As the dejected youth passed by Castle Cair Paravel, he spotted young Queen Lucy in one of the outer courtyards. Suddenly that gave Terence an idea.

Perhaps Lucy could use some company, too. Perhaps she could use a friend as well.

So Terence made a beeline for the castle. As soon as he reached Lucy, he said, "Hello, Lucy."

"Hello, Mr. Terence," Lucy greeted him cordially.

He had to chuckle at the little girl's unwarranted decorum. "Dear Lucy, how many times must I tell you? Just call me Terence. You should know me well enough by now to trust me and feel perfectly comfortable around me. Besides, such formalities are not really my thing."

She smiled somewhat sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Mr. Terence," she said meekly. "That's just the way I was brought up. I was brought up to refer to people as 'Mr.', or 'Miss', or 'Mrs.' Anyway, what may I do for you?"

"I was just walking by, and I wondered if you might like some company."

"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Terence," said Lucy kindly, "but not right now. I have some 'queenly affairs' to attend to today." She didn't sound very happy about it, or particularly enthusiastic. "Perhaps we can play later."

Terence's face fell, and he looked away from the child. "Oh," he said softly. "I…I see. Well, then, I guess I'll just be on my way, and let you get around to your responsibilities."

Lucy could tell Terence was feeling lonesome. "Why don't you go see Mr. Tumnus?" she suggested. "I'm quite sure you'll find him in his cave, and he's your closest friend."

Terence's face now lit up. "Hey, that's a great idea!" he said. "Thanks, Lucy!" And then he wheeled around and rushed away—or rather danced away, as his body movements were always so smooth and fluid and graceful, whether he was in the form of a unicorn, or a man.

* * *

Terence soon arrived at the cave in the woods where Tumnus the faun lived.

The front door was left ajar, and so Terence eased himself through the gap. Inside, he found Tumnus sitting alone at a desk, scrawling something on a piece of parchment. Even from where he stood, Terence could hear the scratch of Tumnus's quill, and he could see the faun's golden-brown curls glistening in the dancing light emanating from the fire in the hearth.

Tumnus had just received inspiration for an outstanding thesis, and he was anxious to write everything down while it was all yet fresh in his memory.

For a time, Terence stayed where he was and watched his best mate, listening to the faun mutter to himself while he scribbled away, and finally he started walking forward, moving so cautiously and so elegantly that he never made a sound. Tumnus was far too absorbed in his thesis to really notice Terence approaching him anyway, and when Terence reached him, he gave Tumnus a swift, sharp poke in the bare shoulder, saying, "Hey, there, mate!"

Tumnus cried out and gave a great jump, which resulted in a considerable-sized black blot appearing on the parchment. When Tumnus glanced over his shoulder and saw it was only Terence, indignation quickly replaced his fright. "Terence—I hate it when you do that!" he said crossly, narrowing his china-blue eyes in contempt. "Why must you always sneak up on me like that, and frighten the living daylights out of me? What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I came to see you," Terence replied matter-of-factly. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to spend the afternoon with me, mate."

Tumnus shook his head. "I can't, Terence." Motioning toward his thesis, he went on, "As you can see, I've got much work to do. I haven't got the time to spare to be with you today."

"Let me look at that thing." Before Tumnus could stop him, Terence shot forth a hand and snatched up the parchment from the table—none too gently.

"Hey, be careful!" Tumnus admonished, when he heard the parchment crinkle.

Terence silently skimmed through the thesis, and when he was through, he looked at Tumnus incredulously and asked, "You call this 'work'?"

Tumnus frowned at him. "Give me that," he ordered, snatching the parchment back. "Come on, Terence, I'm very busy. I must complete this thesis while I can still think of the right words, and I cannot afford to be disturbed. Please, just go. I'll meet with you later."

"What's so important about writing, anyway?" Terence wanted to know. "All you're really doing is scribbling on a piece of paper."

"Hey," Tumnus defended, "writing is not as simple as it sounds, Terence. It's a very intricate and meticulous art, one that requires delicate care and painstaking exactness."

"You make it sound like it's a living thing," said Terence sardonically.

"Oh, what do you know? You've spent the majority of your life without literature! Up till just recently, you'd never even known what a book was, or how to even properly hold a pen!"

"Hey," Terence shot back, "just because I didn't receive the same kind of education in my youth that you did doesn't mean I lack intelligence! I'm every bit as smart as you are, Mr. Superior. In fact, I know plenty of things that you can scarcely even begin to imagine."

Tumnus's face felt hot, and he knew it wasn't because of the heat from the fire. Turning away from Terence, he said curtly, "Just go away, Terence. Leave me alone."

"Okay," said Terence, every bit as curtly, "fine. I'm going."

"And don't slam the door on your way out," Tumnus said, as he picked up his quill again.

Terence looked at the faun for a minute, but Tumnus's eyes and mind were focused entirely on his writing. Eventually Terence begrudgingly headed for the door.

He started to close the door slowly behind him, but then he stopped halfway and, just to spite Tumnus, gave the door a swift, abrupt jerk, which resulted in a deafening slam.

Inside the cave, Tumnus gave another start at the unexpected bang, and this time he upset his bottle altogether. Ink spilled everywhere, getting all over the parchment and flooding the entire table, and dripping onto the floor.

"Oh, no!" Tumnus groaned, when he saw the dreadful mess. "_Terence!_"

Feeling a perverse pleasure in having vexed Tumnus, Terence simply turned on his heel and walked away, without once looking back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Friends and Foes**

_Moving on to chapter 2! A bit of forewarning: there is some violence contained in this chapter, and there is some blood involved. Nothing too gory or graphic, of course (I'm not the graphic type), but I figured I should let you guys know in advance. _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 2**

Everywhere Terence went, it was the same.

All of his friends were completely caught up in something else, and no one had any "time to spare". Beaver was repairing a massive breach in his dam, Mrs. Beaver was busy with her sewing, Fox was trying to catch a fish at the pond for his supper; and, basically, everyone Terence ran into was either constructing something, or repairing something, or gathering food for the winter, or engaged in some other activity.

They all told Terence to come back later, and Terence reluctantly went on his way.

Eventually, he gave up altogether on trying to find a companion.

He now trudged alone through the woods, feeling more depressed than ever, paying very little attention to where he was going.

"No one cares about me," he muttered aloud to himself, kicking moodily at a stone and sending it skittering into a bush. "No one appreciates me, or any of the things I do. What good is it in having friends, if they don't have time for you, or bother to make any time for you? My friends barely know I even exist anymore. Maybe I should just leave—leave everyone and everything for good."

While Terence considered this, he was unaware that several pairs of eyes were watching him maliciously from the foliage.

An icy, flinty voice murmured, "Do it now, while there are yet no witnesses."

Terence did not hear this, but he did stop and look around bewilderedly when he heard a branch snap loudly. He looked in every direction, but saw nothing. At least, nothing out of the ordinary. Figuring it was just a squirrel, or some other woodland creature, Terence merely shook his head and started walking again.

And then all of a sudden, without forewarning, something hard and swift clubbed him straight across the back of his skull, knocking his lights out cold.

There was a flash of brilliant color, and then everything went black as Terence completely left his senses, and his body crumpled to the ground in a helpless, lifeless heap.

* * *

As Terence lay there on the forest floor, two giant minotaurs stood over him. One of them clutched a large blood-flecked bludgeon, its rock-solid end a handy weapon. There was blood on the back of Terence's head as well, on the very spot where the bludgeon had struck him.

It was not a fatal wound, but it was not a friendly one, either.

Someone came up to the minotaurs, and the minotaur responsible for delivering the blow proclaimed, "It is done. This fellow will give us no trouble whatsoever, now."

"He is yet alive?" inquired the same voice that had spoken before and demanded that the deed be done, while no witnesses lurked about.

"Aye," said the minotaur with the bludgeon, "he is alive still. But only just."

The second minotaur added, "I don't expect he'll awaken for several hours, three or four at the very least. And then I expect he'll be quite sore when he finally does come around."

"Well, then let us get on with it," said the heartless voice. "Pick up this piece of waste, and let's get out of here before anything else happens, or anyone spots us. Move it, now!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Friends and Foes**

_Presenting chapter 3! I hope you guys are enjoying this so far. It gives me great pleasure to write these stories, and it gives me even greater pleasure to know someone read a story and liked it! I hope to become a professional author one day, and so these fan stories give me good practice. _

_For those of you who are a little confused about Terence, I plan to reveal his whole story in a full-fledged novel; until then, I don't want to give away too much information and spoil my book. Also, this may sound silly, but I'm a bit paranoid about potential thieves out there stealing my ideas before my book actually gets published. That's why I haven't revealed that much about Terence around here. _

_Anyway, enough about that; it's time to proceed with the story! _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 3**

Later that same day, Lucy could be found traipsing through the woods, in the direction of Tumnus's cave. She had wrapped up her royal duties for that day, and she thought it might be nice to visit with both Terence and Tumnus now.

When the young queen reached the old, familiar cave, she knocked politely on the door, and after a time, Tumnus answered. The faun had been attempting to cleanse the spilled ink from his hands and forearms, but even after several minutes of fervent washing and scrubbing, his skin still had a rather blackish tint to it.

"Hello, Mr. Tumnus!" Lucy greeted her old friend warmly. "May I come in, please?"

Without a word, Tumnus stood aside and held the door open for her.

"What have you done to your hands?" she questioned, taking notice of the black stains.

"I had somewhat of a mishap involving a bottle of ink," Tumnus answered. Lucy could tell he was not joking, because he was not smiling.

"Is Mr. Terence around?" she asked, looking curiously about the cave.

"No, he is not," said Tumnus coolly.

"Well, where is he, then?"

"I don't know. And frankly, I really don't care."

Lucy was surprised to hear this. "Hey, is everything all right?" she questioned. "What's the problem, Mr. Tumnus?"

"Problem? It's Terence that's the problem! Look at what he did!" Tumnus motioned toward his desk, which he had also been attempting to clean up, yet it was apparent that ink did not come off that easily. Black stained most of the desktop and streaked the wooden legs, and there were also patches of black on the floor, and next to the desktop, a bin where Tumnus disposed of his rubbish contained a heap of ink-soaked papers.

Lucy's eyes widened at the sight. "Mr. Terence did all that?" She could not imagine that Terence would do such a thing.

"Well, he didn't exactly _do _it himself, with his own hand, but it's his fault this horrible mess came about to begin with!" Tumnus explained the whole story of what had happened that day, and when he was through, he stormed on, "And now, thanks to him, not only is my thesis completely ruined, but it'll take me literally forever to clean this up! Sometimes I wonder why I ever became friends with that lunatic in the first place."

Lucy didn't say anything for a time. And then, just as she was opening her mouth to speak, she and Tumnus heard someone come in, and they simultaneously looked toward the front door to see the Beavers standing there.

"Pardon us," said Beaver, "but we were wondering if, by chance, you've seen Terence around."

Tumnus shook his head. "Not I," he said brusquely.

"Not since this afternoon," Lucy added, shaking her head as well.

"Oh, dear," said Mrs. Beaver, looking crestfallen. "We were hoping to enjoy Terence's company today, especially now that we're finally through with our chores."

"Good heavens, what happened here?" Beaver asked, suddenly becoming aware of Tumnus's ink-stained desk and floor. "It looks as though an ink bottle just exploded!"

"It's a long story," said Lucy, before Tumnus could answer.

Right then, Fox rushed into the cave, looking frantic. "Tumnus!" he gasped, his amber eyes bulging with fright, his pointed ears rigid, his tail stiff, the fur along the scruff of his neck standing on end. "Queen Lucy, everybody—come quickly! Come quickly!"

"Easy, Fox," said Beaver. "Whatever is the problem?"

"Is everything all right?" added Mrs. Beaver worriedly.

"It's Terence!" Fox said agitatedly. "Something terrible has happened to him!"

"What?!" everyone else cried together in one voice, including Tumnus.

"This way, hurry!" shouted Fox, and without further hesitation, he wheeled around and bolted out of the cave as if it were on fire.

Tumnus was the first to rush after him.

And then, one by one, Lucy and the Beavers followed.

* * *

Fear jabbed at Tumnus's heart like a needle as he desperately pursued Fox through the woods, with Lucy and the Beavers hurrying along in his wake. Though he didn't utter a word out loud, the faun prayed feverishly that, somehow, his best mate was all right.

If anything bad happened to Terence, Tumnus didn't know what he would do.

Presently, the group arrived at a small clearing, and Fox showed them what he had found.

Tumnus cautiously lowered himself to one knee on the forest floor, and gingerly picked up a small piece of shabby cloth that was lying there.

At first, it looked like nothing more than a dirty, tattered blue rag peppered with dots—but looking at it more closely, Tumnus realized this was a piece of Terence's blue shawl, the one that the young man always wore casually around his shoulders; and the faun also realized, to his horror, that the dark spots on the cloth were drops of blood.

"Oh, my—" Mrs. Beaver gasped, upon seeing the blood.

Lucy raised a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide in shock and disbelief.

"Mercy upon us!" Beaver whispered, his whiskers quivering.

"Terence!" Tumnus said in a hushed voice. "Oh, no!"

"And that is not all I found," Fox told them gravely. "Look."

Looking to where he was gesturing, Tumnus and the others saw splashes of blood on the ground. The drops seemed to follow one another, in a relatively straight line, making a trail that led deep into the forest.

"Oh, no!" Tumnus cried a second time. "Oh, no! No! _Terence!_"

"Terence!" Lucy echoed, her eyes now flooding over with tears.

"What could have possibly happened here?" asked Beaver disbelievingly.

"This was no accident," an unfamiliar voice broke in, making everyone jump.

"Who said that?" demanded Fox, looking about every which way.

"Over here," said the voice.

"Where?" questioned Lucy. She and Tumnus and Fox and the Beavers consecutively looked this way and that way, but they saw nobody.

"Up here, on the tree branch." The voice was beginning to sound irritated.

They all now looked straight up, and sure enough, a small robin was perched on a branch just above their heads. "Oh, it's you!" said Lucy, comprehension dawning on her young face.

"Of course, it's me," said the robin tetchily. "Who else were you expecting?"

"Robin, have you seen Terence?" Tumnus asked, going straight to the heart of the matter. "Where has he gone? Is he all right? What happened to him?"

"Like I told you before, faun, this was no accident," Robin said. His tone became grim as he went on, "This was an assault."

Lucy and the Beavers gasped. Fox just stayed right where he was, staring at Robin, his mouth hanging open slightly in his astonishment.

"What?" cried Tumnus. "What happened? Who did this?"

"I was out collecting twigs for my nest, just minding my own business," Robin explained, "when I noticed your friend walking through the woods, alone. He seemed rather in a bit of a bad humor, and he didn't seem to be much aware of where he was going. And then two menacing-looking minotaurs suddenly crept up on him from behind, like two wolves advancing on their prey. One of them had a nasty-looking club in his possession, and he used it to whack your friend right in the head. There was a hideous cracking noise that I'm quite sure the birds on the other side of the forest could hear, and then your friend simply dropped to the ground and lay still. He didn't even cry out."

"Oh-h!" Lucy groaned, and Tumnus felt all the color drain from his face.

"You mean they killed him?!" Fox exclaimed.

"No, they didn't kill him," said Robin. "They simply knocked him out. I know, because they said so themselves, and the wound did not appear to be that grave, anyhow. But I certainly do not envy your friend of the dreadful headache he will have, once he comes to. Once the minotaurs knocked your friend senseless, they picked up his body and carried him away. Wherever they took him, that I do not know."

"Oh, the poor dear!" cried Mrs. Beaver.

In Tumnus's mind, he could see Terence lying on the ground somewhere, weak and helpless, covered in his own…the faun shook his head to rid himself of the fantasy.

"What are we going to do?" Lucy asked hopelessly.

Unfortunately, no one knew what they _could _do. Fox bowed his head in despair, and Mrs. Beaver huddled forlornly against her husband.

Even Robin looked downcast. "I'm sorry," he said softly, "I wish I could be of better help." And with that, he spread forth his wings and flew away.

Tumnus watched the bird until he was out of sight, and then the disheartened faun bent his head and covered his face with his hands.


	4. Chapter 4

**Friends and Foes**

_Presenting chapter 4! This is where we, as the audience, find out what has become of Terence. Warning: darkness and depression ensues in this chapter, so brace yourselves, mates! _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 4**

Terence struggled through the layers of unconsciousness that enveloped him, like an underwater swimmer fighting to reach the surface. Very slowly, like maple sap on a freezing day, the youth became aware that he lay on some hard, flat, smooth surface, and he also perceived that it was cold—quite cold. His face felt oddly stiff on one side.

And his head was killing him.

What had happened? He could not remember. It was all so vague…

Without even realizing it, a low moan escaped from the youth's lips. His body ached all over, but it was his head that undoubtedly hurt the worst; his head felt like it had just been clobbered by a two-ton boulder.

Like a butterfly beating its wings, Terence's eyelids fluttered open.

Where he was, he did not know right away, for everything before his eyes was swimming about in an obscure sea of color and shadow; not to mention the fact that the fire in his head was burning so badly he could hardly think straight. Terence tried to move, but found he could not. His arms and legs seemed to be tied, for some strange reason.

Like a fish out of water, the young man began writhing and wriggling about.

"Keep still, you witless worm," a sudden harsh voice growled, "or you'll never move again!"

"Wh-who…who said that?" Terence asked thickly.

"I did, you miserable maggot." The voice seemed to be coming from above him. Terence looked up bemusedly, blinking to clear his hazy vision, and realized someone was standing over him.

At first, he could not tell whether this was a man, or an animal. The creature that towered over him looked like a wolf that had begun to change into a man—or a man that had begun to change into a wolf—but then had stopped about halfway in the process. The creature's flesh had a rather sickly grayish tinge to it. Like Terence, his hair was silver, but his hair was more of a dull, drabbled soap-gray. His eyes were bright scarlet, with vertical black slits for pupils, like a serpent, and they looked cold and fierce.

Just the sight of the creature alone sent a dreadful chill through Terence's heart. "Wh-who are you?" the youth asked, now stammering with fear.

"My name is Ardat," the beast snarled, revealing a number of jagged yellow teeth. "And I suggest you save your breath, you mangy dog, while you yet have it."

Wincing from the throbbing pain in his head, Terence glanced around at his surroundings, and realized he was lying on the icy stone floor of some prison chamber. His hands were bound behind his back, and his ankles were also bound together, so that he could not escape.

It was rather dim in that room; the only source of light came from a meager torch mounted on the wall. Its flickering light cast grotesque shadows in all directions, and made the beast named Ardat appear even more menacing than ever—if such a thing were possible.

"Where am I?" Terence gasped. "How did I get here? And what do you want with me?"

"Either you're hard of hearing, you rundown rat, or you simply refuse to listen," Ardat growled, his teeth flashing ominously in the torchlight. And then he added gruffly, "But I condescend to answer those three questions. You're at the bottom of a prison citadel in the middle of the Northern Marshes, near the border of Ettinsmoor. You're here, as my prisoner. As to how you got here, my henchmen Avicus and Flavius were responsible for that."

He motioned toward the two beastly minotaurs, who were present in the chamber at that time. Avicus, the minotaur who'd struck Terence down in the beginning, curled his upper lip in an unpleasant leer.

Terence grimaced as the sharp pain in his head intensified for a brief moment.

"Oh…my head!" he murmured through tightly clenched teeth.

"Yes, well, we had to knock you down for the time being," said Ardat remorselessly, paying no heed to the twisted look of agony on Terence's face, "as we had no desire to struggle with you, and also we could not risk having anyone else find us out. Consider yourself lucky that you're yet alive…for now."

"What do you want with me?" Terence asked again, when he could speak.

"As I have mentioned before, you are here as my prisoner," Ardat answered.

"Prisoner? Why? What have I done? What was my crime?"

"Crime?" Ardat echoed, his red eyes blazing like two fiery coals. "Your crime is treason, and murder!"

"Treason? Murder?" Terence repeated the words like they were alien. "What are you talking about? I have betrayed no one, and I never murdered anyone in my life!"

"You are responsible for the death of Jadis, formerly known as the White Witch, and sovereign queen of all Narnia!" Ardat yelled, so loudly he was practically howling. "It is because of you that she perished! And for that, you must suffer, as all traitors and murderers must suffer, just as the laws of justice demand."

Terence blinked in disbelief. "What? Now, now, hold on, there, Abrax—or whatever you said your name was—you've got it all backwards. Jadis was never the rightful queen of the land. It was she who was the traitor. She obtained dominance over Narnia as a result of treachery and manipul—_ahhhh!_" The rest of Terence's sentence came out in a cry of anguish, for Avicus had just struck him in the head with the blunt end of a lance, to silence him.

Avicus actually didn't hit him all that hard, but due to the severe pain Terence was already experiencing at the moment, it made stars appear before the youth's eyes.

"Silence!" Ardat commanded. "You ill-disciplined, insubordinate imbecile! Jadis had the legitimate authority over us all, and you rebelled against her and participated in bringing about her downfall! Therefore, you are as guilty as anyone!"

And with that, he kicked Terence pitilessly in the ribs, which were unfortunately bruised at the time, and Terence cried out again.

"You've got it all wrong," Terence gasped, when he'd regained sufficient breath to speak. "I wasn't even present at the time when Jadis was destroyed. How can you blame _me_ for her demise? And besides, I do not even hail from this part of the land. I'd never even known Jadis. It was Tumnus who knew her personally—not I!"

"Tumnus?" repeated Ardat, and this time there was incredulity displayed in his tone and countenance. "Tumnus, the faun? Jadis's former ally and confidant? The faun who rescued Queen Lucy, and therefore helped bring to pass the ancient prophecy concerning the descendants of Adam and Eve, who would overthrow Jadis and take possession of the land?"

Realizing he'd spoken too much, Terence promptly held his tongue and said nothing more.

Ardat furrowed his charcoal-gray brow, and his crimson eyes narrowed into slits. "Where?" he demanded, in a low-toned, sinister growl. "Where is he? Where is Tumnus?"

Terence said nothing.

"I said, where is Tumnus?" Ardat repeated, after a time.

Again, Terence said nothing, biting down hard on his tongue for good measure.

Ardat hissed in exasperation. "Fool! You speak when you are told to remain silent, and yet you remain silent when you are commanded to speak! I shall ask it a third time. Where is Tumnus? Answer me quickly, and truthfully. Reveal to me the location of the faun, Jadis's one true betrayer; and I shall set you free, without any further trouble, and take him instead."

Despite himself, and despite the way Tumnus had treated him earlier, Terence still refused to speak. Though he continued to sting inwardly from his unfriendly encounter with the faun, he knew he would never hand the faun over to someone like Ardat. Not if he could help it.

"You are trying my patience." There was a foreboding note in Ardat's tone.

Terence knew he was provoking Ardat's anger, and getting himself into further trouble, yet he refused to give Tumnus away.

When Ardat saw that Terence was not going to confess, he curled his upper lip in contempt and growled, "So be it, then. Until you inform me of the faun's whereabouts, you shall be left to rot in this dungeon. I _will_ find out where Tumnus is, no matter what it takes. I'll torture you to obtain the appropriate information, if I must. But one way or the other, the score will be evened, and Jadis will be avenged."

"Good luck with that." The words were out of Terence's mouth before he realized it.

"Courage." Ardat spoke the word with dry wit. "Well, we shall see just how long your courage will last, how long your backbone will hold before it finally breaks."

Eventually he departed from the chamber altogether, leaving Avicus and Flavius to guard Terence through the night. "Keep a close watch on him, every second," were his last words to the minotaurs before he withdrew his presence.

Despair now washed over Terence like a tidal wave, and he closed his eyes. Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix. He was all alone, in a lonely, miserable cell, in deep trouble with a sadistic man-wolf and a couple of sadistic minotaurs, and there was nothing he could do to help himself—especially considering the condition he was in.

Maybe he would die now. He surely couldn't see how he would manage to get out of this alive.

As Terence lay there, he thought of Tumnus, and all his other friends.

They probably didn't know where he was…and they probably didn't even care.

This added to the burden of sorrow already weighed down on Terence's heart, and a single tear leaked out from beneath a sealed lid and rolled steadily down the young man's cheek, dripping off the end of his goateed chin and landing upon the stone floor, where it shone like a liquid jewel for a time before slowly evaporating into thin air.


	5. Chapter 5

**Friends and Foes**

_Presenting chapter 5! This is my most favorite part of the whole story. I got an especial thrill out of writing this particular chapter. Read on, and you shall see why. _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 5**

A great sorrow hung over Castle Cair Paravel, like a shroud.

Terence had been missing for well over three days, and no one knew where in all the land, or in all the world, he could possibly be.

Queen Lucy and her siblings had sent out a number of search parties, groups that consisted of centaurs and fauns and satyrs and dwarves and dogs and the like, and they'd all searched for Terence as best they could, but Terence was nowhere to be found.

Eventually it was deemed that Terence was either dead or lost in an unknown part of the land.

Tumnus couldn't bear the thought of his best mate dead or dying, and the young faun couldn't believe the last thing he had said to Terence was "_don't slam the door on your way out_". Why hadn't he told Terence then how much he loved him, how much he cared for him?

What if he never saw Terence again? Such a notion was enough to bring tears to Tumnus's eyes and a massive lump to his throat.

He even began to secretly wonder if it was his fault that this kind of thing had befallen Terence to start with. After all, he had been horrible to Terence, and then something awful had happened to the young human that very same day.

He once spoke to Lucy about his feelings, while the two huddled together in Lucy's quarters one night, unable to sleep and in need of one another's company. "Maybe this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been so hard on Terence," Tumnus confessed sadly to the young queen. "Maybe, if I'd actually taken the time to be with him, he wouldn't be where he is right now."

"Don't blame yourself, Mr. Tumnus," Lucy said, reaching for his hand in an attempt to console him. "We all should have treated him better. We all should have made more time for him. We all should have told him how much he means to us, while we still had the chance."

Her words did little to ease Tumnus's guilt.

Fox and the Beavers were also worried sick about Terence. Fox often moped about the palace, his eyes dull, and Mrs. Beaver lost her interest in knitting and sewing due to her concern over Terence's welfare. Beaver grew much quieter than usual, and spoke only when it was absolutely necessary.

After five days—five endless, agonizing days—Tumnus began to lose hope of ever seeing his best mate again, alive. Alone in his room that Lucy typically reserved just for him whenever he visited Cair Paravel, the heartsick faun lay sprawled on his bed and wept, his tears soaking the pillow that his face was buried in, his whole body shaking like a leaf with the sobs that flooded out of him.

_Oh, Terence_, he thought mournfully, _wherever you are, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Forgive me, Terence. Forgive me. _

As he wept, in his mind's eye, he thought he could see Aslan, the Great Golden Lion, the Son of the Emperor, and ruler and redeemer of all Narnia. The Great Lion stood enfolded in a soft glow, his infinite eyes emanating gentle concern. And unless the faun's keen ears were deceiving him, he could have sworn he heard Aslan's deep, golden voice speak to him: _Tumnus, my son, why do you grieve so? Why does such great sorrow vex your heart? _

_Because I lost the very best and dearest friend I have ever known,_ Tumnus answered, without moving his lips, _and I don't know where to find him. I don't even know if Terence is alive, or dead. Oh, Aslan, please help me! I just don't know what to do! _

_Peace, my son,_ Aslan soothed him. _All is not lost. Your friend is yet alive, and you still have the opportunity to find him. _

_Where, Aslan? _Tumnus thought, his flow of tears desisting for the time being. _Where is Terence? Where may I find him? Where?!_

_Easy, my son. It does not do to become overly anxious. You can find Terence, if you have courage. At this time, he is imprisoned in Ettinsmoor, in the place of the Northern Marshes. The wicked man-wolf Ardat is the one who holds him captive. Ardat holds all the good people in Narnia responsible for the demise of Jadis, particularly you above all else, and he will not rest until he feels he has "avenged" her death and justice has been satisfied. He knows that you had once worked for Jadis, and he knows that you helped Lucy and helped bring the old prophecy to pass, and he knows that Terence is in contact with you. Therefore, he keeps Terence prisoner, and he refuses to release him unless Terence tells him where you are. Yet Terence, being your friend, refuses to give you up, and willingly submits himself to Ardat's cruelty, and consequently you are spared. _

A mixture of shame and sorrow and gratitude flooded Tumnus's heart: shame because he didn't feel he deserved to be spared from anything, sorrow because Terence had to suffer on his account, and gratitude because Terence would willfully do that for him.

_I must save him,_ he declared to Aslan. _It is not right that Terence, my one true friend, should endure all this merely for my sake. I must go to him, and retrieve him, no matter what it takes._

_If that is what your heart decides, then that is what you must do,_ Aslan replied. _But you must go swiftly. Terence has been through so much already, and he will not last much longer under such conditions. Take only what you need, and take care as you journey, for great danger, even death itself, awaits you. Be brave, my son, and may the heavens preserve you. _

And with those final words, the Great Lion was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Friends and Foes**

_And now we move on to chapter 6! This chapter is a bit of a tearjerker, and so I suggest you keep a tissue or two handy, just in case. _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 6**

Tumnus now knew what he must do. Without further delay, he sprang to his hooves and proceeded in throwing things into a traveling bag. Remembering Aslan's advice, the faun made sure to pack only the absolute necessities.

When Lucy appeared in the doorway and saw what her friend was doing, she asked bewilderedly, "Where are you going, Mr. Tumnus?"

"I'm going out to rescue Terence."

Tumnus quickly explained his vision to Lucy, and when he was through, Lucy's eyes widened in horror, and her face paled. "But, Mr. Tumnus, you can't!" she protested. "It's too dangerous!"

"Lucy, I must. I'm Terence's only chance. He is my best mate, and I can't just sit around and do nothing while he suffers, on my account. Besides, he'd do the same for me. Forgive me, Lucy, but I must go, and I must go quickly. There is not a minute to spare."

Just before Tumnus left, he did a quick double check to make sure he had everything he needed. "Yes, I think that ought to do it," he said after a moment. Remembering the bloodstained piece of Terence's shawl, and remembering the drops of blood scattered on the ground in the clearing, he turned to face Lucy directly and requested, "And Lucy, if you'll permit me, I will need your cordial of fire-flower juice, in case Terence…well, just in case."

Tears shone in Lucy's eyes. Almost impulsively, she flung her arms about Tumnus's waist and clung tightly to him. With her face pressed up against his bare chest, she said in a voice that was little more than a whimper, "I want to come with you!"

Tumnus gently pried her off him. "No, Lucy," he said softly, "this is something I must do alone. You must stay here, at Cair Paravel, where it's safe."

A single tear spilled over Lucy's lid and cascaded down her cheek. The idea of Tumnus journeying alone in the danger-infested wilderness, without her, was almost more than she could bear.

Tumnus now offered the small queen a tender smile, and delicately brushed the tear from her face with his gentle fingers. "I'll be all right, Lucy," he said, in his best attempt to sound soothing. "I have lived in the wilderness my whole life; I know the trees and the vales like the back of my hand. I know how to properly take care of myself. And Aslan will be watching over me the whole time. I promise you, dear heart, I'll come back to you, safe and sound; only I'll have Terence with me. One day, one day very soon, we will be together. All of us."

He then hugged Lucy warmly and planted a light kiss on the top of her head, and then he slung the traveling pack over his shoulder and proceeded on his way.

Lucy stayed right where she was and watched her beloved faun walk away from her, barely able to see through the shimmering flood of tears that coursed down her face like rainwater.

As Tumnus ambled through the corridors of the castle, he passed by Fox and the Beavers, who were all speaking quietly with one another. Fox was the first to notice the faun. "Tumnus?" he said, cocking one ear quizzically. "What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving," Tumnus answered simply.

"Leaving?" Beaver echoed. "Where are you headed?"

"I'm going to Ettinsmoor, to save Terence. He is a prisoner there, and I'm going to free him."

"Ettinsmoor?" Mrs. Beaver repeated.

"Yes. And I must hurry. I haven't got much time. Peace be with you, my friends. I'll be back soon, within a few days at the very least. Take care of Lucy for me."

The Beavers and Fox could sense that Tumnus was dead serious about his goal, and though they hated to see him go, they did not attempt to restrain him or dissuade him. "Well, take care of yourself, old boy," Beaver called after him, just before Tumnus was gone from sight.

"Give Terence all our love, dear, when you see him," said Mrs. Beaver, trying her best to maintain her composure while she spoke, though her voice shook slightly.

"May Aslan be with you," Fox added solemnly.

And that was all they said.

Tumnus soon headed outside, into the warm sunlight, and as he set hoof upon the shore of the Eastern Ocean, he stopped for just a minute, gazing out at the world that unfurled before him. It was a long way indeed, and Tumnus's skin crawled unpleasantly at the thought of what lay out there. He offered a brief, silent prayer to Aslan for strength and guidance, and then, drawing in a long breath and shifting the weight of his bag a little, he started moving forward.

He had not gone very far when he heard Lucy's voice calling to him from behind: "Mr. Tumnus! Mr. Tumnus, wait!"

Anxious though he was to get going, Tumnus obediently stopped and turned around to see Lucy rushing toward him, gathering up the long skirt of her dress to avoid tripping. As soon as she reached the faun, she pressed a small object into his hands, saying simply, "Here."

Tumnus looked at the object within his hands, and saw that it was the little vial containing the precious fire-flower juice.

"You need it more than I do," Lucy said, smiling weakly and attempting poor humor.

Tumnus felt his eyes moisten as he regarded the cordial, and the girl who'd bestowed it upon him. "Thank you, Lucy," he whispered gratefully.

"Hopefully you won't have to use it when you find Terence," said Lucy, "but if you do…"

She didn't complete her sentence, but she didn't need to. Tumnus understood perfectly what she meant, and the thought was too dreadful to utter out loud. So he simply kissed Lucy on the forehead, and tucked the cordial safely away in his pack.

"Goodbye, Lucy," he said, stooping before her and giving her one final embrace.

"Goodbye, Mr. Tumnus," Lucy said, trying to sound braver than she felt. "I love you."

"I love you, Lucy."

They held onto one another for a minute, a minute that seemed more like an eternity, and when they finally drew apart, both their faces were wet with each other's tears.


	7. Chapter 7

**Friends and Foes**

_Presenting chapter 7. This one's extremely short, yet extremely depressing. _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 7**

It was the worst time of Terence's life. It was the filth from the darkest, furthermost corner of the slime pit of misery. The young man could not recall a time when he had felt any worse, both emotionally and physically, both as a unicorn and as a human.

His stomach burned with hunger, his throat was parched with thirst, and he was so weak it took nearly everything he had within him just to lift his head. His body was always in constant pain, having undergone the torture that Avicus and Flavius placed upon him every day, at Ardat's command. Though he couldn't see himself, as there was no mirror available in the dungeon, Terence knew he must look a dreadful sight.

And on the outside, he was almost unrecognizable. His clothes were so tattered and dirty they looked like rags. Blood caked nearly the whole side of his face and matted his hair. His face was covered in hideous black and purple bruises, and he had four terrible scratches on his right cheek that Ardat had given to him.

When Terence still refused to tell Ardat where Tumnus was, even after all the torture that had been executed, the man-wolf, in a fit of rage, had swiped the young man cruelly across the face with his talon-like nails, leaving four long, deep gashes behind.

Ardat had tried everything in his power to try to get Terence to talk. But no matter what he did, no matter how harshly he threatened Terence, no matter how excruciating the pain he caused to inflict on Terence, the young man still would not speak.

But now, Terence's resolve was beginning to weaken. He knew he would never turn Tumnus in (he would rather die than betray the faun), but he didn't know how much more of this he could take.

He realized now that Tumnus and Lucy and all of his other friends would be devastated if they saw him like this. They would never have wished such a terrible fate upon him. Surely they must have become aware of his disappearance, after all this time. Though Terence had been Ardat's prisoner for only a week, he felt as though he had been there for centuries.

Alone in the gloomy prison, having been left to himself for the night (of course, he was never completely alone, as Avicus and Flavius were always watching him like a pair of hawks), Terence bowed his forehead against the nearest stone wall, unable to hold back the tears of despair that streamed down his face, feeling the sting as the salty fluid hit his wounds.

He wished Tumnus were there with him, but at the same time he rejected the thought, knowing that if Tumnus really were present right then, Ardat would kill them both.

Though Terence's physical pain was great, the pain he felt within his heart was even greater. Here, in this awful place, life no longer seemed worth living. In the space of just one week, Terence felt as if his spirit, his courage, and his will had been taxed beyond the outermost limit.

He wished he were dead now, so that he would not have to put up with this any longer. He wished Ardat would simply come and kill him then and there, and let him be out of his misery.


	8. Chapter 8

**Friends and Foes**

_Presenting chapter 8. This is where the suspense starts picking up! _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 8**

Tumnus cautiously made his way through the Northern Marshes, keeping his eyes peeled for any form of danger.

After several long, weary days of traveling, the faun had finally arrived at his destination. Something deep within his heart told him that Terence was around here somewhere. He could only hope and pray that Terence was all right—and alive—when he finally found him, that it wasn't too late.

Tumnus vowed to himself that as soon as he found Terence, he would offer a sincere apology for neglecting his friend, manifest to the young man in some way that he truly did care, and then entreat Terence with all his heart to forgive him.

As the faun walked along, he kept checking his bag frequently to make sure he still had the cordial of fire-flower juice. He prayed he would not have to use it, but he knew he would also hate to be in need of it and not have it within his possession.

As Tumnus pressed on, he sensed that someone was following him, but every time he looked over his shoulder, he saw no one there. All the same, Tumnus knew he had to remain sharp and alert if he was going to make it in and out of this place in one piece. Aside from encountering a giant black snake, and aside from eluding a band of hostile-looking ogres, Tumnus's journey had been, for the most part, trouble-free.

Yet he knew he must not get complacent.

Snakes and ogres were the least of his worries. Tumnus knew that the real danger lay in actually finding Terence. He knew that he himself was the one Ardat sought, and he knew that meeting Ardat face-to-face would be a most unpleasant business indeed. He hoped that, somehow, he would manage to rescue Terence and flee before Ardat caught them.

Above all else, Tumnus knew he would never, ever be able to repay Terence for remaining so loyal to him, for choosing imprisonment and torment over ratting him out and saving his own skin. Just the mere thought of that overwhelmed Tumnus completely, and left him feeling humbled. _I will come for you, Terence,_ he thought, hoping that, somehow, his friend could hear him, or at least sense what he was thinking. _Just hold on for me, please. _

Though he knew little of the Northern Marshes, Tumnus seemed to know exactly where he needed to go. It was as if Aslan were there with him, leading him in the proper direction.

At long last, Tumnus arrived at a formidable-looking citadel, no less than a hundred feet tall, and constructed of black stone. He knew this was the right place. He could feel it in the very marrow of his bones.

Rather than simply stroll in through the front door, however, Tumnus decided to try to find another way in. He prayed to Aslan for assistance, and he thought he heard the Great Lion's voice tell him: _Go to the east side of the citadel. There is a little door leading to a secret passageway that leads straight to the dungeon. You will find Terence there. _

_Is Terence all right? _Tumnus entreated the Great Lion.

_He is alive still, but not by much. Go now, my son. Time is of the essence. _

So Tumnus moved swiftly yet silently to the east side of the citadel, and sure enough, there was that little door. It opened quite easily, and Tumnus promptly slipped inside, closing the door carefully behind him.

Inside the passageway, it was quite dark, but there was a blazing torch placed in a bracket mounted on the wall where Tumnus stood. Either someone had left it there, or Aslan had somehow provided it for him. Either way, Tumnus forthwith grabbed the torch and used it to light his way through the dark, dreary tunnel, his hoofbeats echoing hollowly off the stone walls as he walked.

If you thought Tumnus was calm at the time, you'd be quite mistaken. The faun's heart was pounding so hard he was surprised it hadn't already burst free from his chest, and his legs were trembling so badly he could hardly walk properly.

Only his love and concern for Terence kept him moving forward.

After what seemed like forever, Tumnus finally reached another door, and this one led into a large, dimly lit room. Tumnus knew right away that it was a dungeon. Why else would it be so cold and so disagreeably damp in there?

It was quite similar to the prison in which he himself had once been detained, not so very long ago—only this prison was constructed of stone, not ice.

And there, lying forlornly on the floor in a shadowy corner, was Terence.

Tumnus felt his heart twist as he raised the torch a little higher and saw his friend's battered, bruised, bloodstained form. Beneath the blood and the bruises and the welts and the scrapes, Terence was as pale as a ghost. He appeared to have lost a significant amount of weight, for his clothes (which were ragged and filthy) seemed looser and baggier than usual. His arms were folded behind his back, and strong cords bound his feet together.

Tears pricked at Tumnus's eyes, and a lump the size of a fist swelled in his throat as he regarded what was left of his precious friend.

What had they done to him?

Without any further delay, Tumnus jammed his torch into place on the nearest wall, and then he ran and knelt at Terence's side. Up close, Terence looked even worse. Tumnus nearly sickened at the dreadful head wound his poor friend presented. Terence's eyes were closed at the time, but he was breathing, and when Tumnus touched his face, the flesh still felt slightly warm. _Oh, my dear Terence,_ Tumnus thought sorrowfully. _Oh, my beloved friend…_

A groan emitted from Terence's lips right then.

"Terence?" said Tumnus softly, bending over him. "Terence, can you hear me?"

The young man moaned a second time, and began to shift a little. "Terence?" Tumnus said again. Laying a palm amiably against Terence's injured cheek, he went on, "Terence, it's me."

Terence slowly opened his eyes, and the faun's friendly face swam into view above him.

"T…T…Tumnus?" Terence's voice was scarcely audible.

"Yes, mate, I'm here," Tumnus whispered, now offering a gentle smile. He moved his hand around a bit and began discreetly brushing Terence's hair from his eyes.

"What…what are you doing here?" Terence rasped.

"I came to save you," the faun answered. "I came to bring you home."

Terence closed his eyes and grimaced. Tumnus could tell his friend was in great pain, and that he was very weak. He knew the fire-flower juice would heal his friend of his injuries in an instant, but first he decided to undo Terence's bonds. Heaven knew how long Terence had remained all tied up like this. So Tumnus fished out a knife from his pack and began to cut through the cords that fastened Terence's hands and feet together.

It wasn't an easy task, as the cords were so strong and tied so unbelievably tight, and the blade of Tumnus's knife was a tad dull. But within a few minutes, Terence was free.

Terence couldn't hold back a cry as his aching arms came unfolded. Tumnus rubbed his friend's arms gently, trying to help alleviate the pain. Terence didn't complain, yet Tumnus knew he was making a tremendous effort not to.

The faun now took out a small container containing cool, fresh water. "Here," he said, as he extracted the top, "drink this." Terence was too weak to lift his head, so Tumnus raised it for him (taking care to refrain from touching the wound), and used his free hand to pour the water between Terence's parched lips.

Terence drank deeply, and when he was through, his throat no longer felt so arid, and the water even helped to ease the pain in his head a little. "Thanks, mate," he said softly, offering Tumnus a feeble smile, his voice more lucid now that he'd had something to drink.

Now Tumnus helped Terence to a sitting position, allowing the young man to lean against him for support. Terence gritted his teeth against the sharp pains that fired through his body like arrows as he moved. Tumnus couldn't stand to see and hear his friend in such distress. Ardat had clearly shown him no mercy. He made Jadis seem almost tame in comparison.

"What happened to you, Terence?" the faun asked. "What have they done to you?"

"Let's just say some things are best left unsaid," Terence answered grimly.

Tumnus was all set to apologize to Terence for his own ill treatment of him and beseech the young man's forgiveness, but before he could say a word, a menacing voice spoke:

"Well, well, well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

Looking over to one side, Tumnus and Terence saw, to their dismay and horror, that it was none other than Ardat himself. The man-wolf stood amongst the shadows, with Avicus and Flavius flanked on either side of him, his scarlet eyes burning like a brilliant red flame.


	9. Chapter 9

**Friends and Foes**

_And now we move on to chapter 9! Read on, if you dare! _

_

* * *

Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 9**

"Ardat!" said Tumnus, recognizing the man-wolf instantly.

"Hello, Tumnus," said Ardat icily. "Long time, no see, old friend."

Avicus and Flavius merely grunted.

"I was hoping I'd run into you one day," Ardat proclaimed to Tumnus. "We have some unfinished business to attend to, you and I."

"What do you want with me?" Tumnus asked. "What have I done?"

"Done? I'll tell you what you've done!" Ardat hissed. "You were once in the service of the White Witch. When Jadis first became queen, you pledged to adhere to her every command, made the oath to submit to her every whim. You swore your allegiance with your very life."

"That is true," Tumnus conceded, and he wasn't proud of it.

"You had been Jadis's most trusted confidant," Ardat went on, "and you betrayed her in the end. You broke your oath, knowing full well that the punishment for breaking such an oath was death. It is because of you that those accursed Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve survived, and made contact with that beast Aslan, and brought about Jadis's defeat. Treason is a great crime, if not the greatest crime of all. You are a traitor, Tumnus."

"Maybe so," said Tumnus grimly. "But was I not also a traitor when I first sided with Jadis in the beginning? Was I not also a traitor to my family, and to my friends, and to Aslan, and to all of Narnia? I betrayed them all once; but I have now had a change of heart. I have repented of my sin and received forgiveness, and I shall never be guilty of the same sin again."

Ardat's blood-red eyes narrowed into ominous slits as he regarded the faun, and his lip curled in contempt, exposing his craggy yellow teeth.

"It's over, Ardat," Tumnus continued. "Let it go. What you're doing will only lead to more sorrow and suffering, and we have suffered enough. Jadis has had her way for over a hundred years. She is gone now, the past is in the past, the deed is done; it's all over. Just let it go."

"I'll let nothing go, you gutless goat!" Ardat snarled at him.

And so saying, the man-wolf brandished a deadly sword. Tumnus recoiled at the sight of the weapon. The little color Terence had left in his face drained away instantly.

"This is for you, Jadis!" Ardat growled to the ceiling, and then he lunged out at Tumnus.

Tumnus gave a startled cry and quickly dodged out of the way as Ardat took a mighty swing at him. Terence dodged aside as well to avoid the lethal blade. Snarling, Ardat pursued Tumnus throughout the chamber, slashing the air flagrantly with his sword.

In the meantime, Terence was forced to deal with Avicus and Flavius on his own. Though he was still quite weak, the intensity of the moment gave Terence enough adrenaline to get to his feet. Barely noticing the smart from the injuries he had received, Terence grabbed a torch from the wall and swung the fiery end at Flavius's head.

There was a swirl of bright color, and Flavius promptly fell to the ground.

With a furious bellow, Avicus attempted to spear Terence like a fish with his lance, but Terence swerved away at the last second. The youth now swung out at the other minotaur with his torch with all the strength he could muster, and succeeded in delivering a second blow. Like Flavius, Avicus too dropped to the ground and remained still.

It was now just Terence, Tumnus, and Ardat.

Tumnus, in his haste to escape from Ardat, tripped and fell with great force on the stone floor. But just as Ardat was raising his sword to kill him, Terence appeared, as if out of nowhere, and shielded Tumnus with his own body—so that Ardat ended up striking the human instead.

The long, deadly blade of the sword smote Terence right in the side, and Terence merely let out a gasp of breath before crumpling to the ground like a broken doll.

Tumnus, having witnessed this, was at first paralyzed with shock and horror.

But then as he looked at Ardat, whose countenance did not display a particle of remorse for what he had just done, rage and fury took over. With a piercing, animal-like cry, Tumnus hurled himself at Ardat and tackled him with full force, knocking the man-wolf right off his feet. Together they wrestled with one another on the ground, rolling over on top of one another, Tumnus on top of Ardat one second, Ardat on top of Tumnus the next.

Later, as Ardat lay on his back with Tumnus pinning him down, the man-wolf used his feet to kick the faun away from him, sending Tumnus tumbling halfway across the room.

When Tumnus recovered himself, he noticed that Ardat's sword (which had flown out of Ardat's hand when Tumnus tackled him) lay right next to him. As Ardat surged forward, his eyes ablaze, Tumnus promptly seized the sword and sprang nimbly to his hooves.

Within less than half a minute, Ardat lay dead upon the dungeon floor, and Tumnus stood over him, panting and trembling, perspiration pouring off his face in rivulets, clutching the sword so fiercely that his knuckles were solid white. After a time, Tumnus heaved the sword aside, and it hit the stone floor with a deafening clang.

Remembering Terence, the faun glanced around anxiously for his friend, and found Terence lying a short distance away, exactly where he had fallen. "Terence!" Tumnus hollered vehemently, as he fled to his mate's side and threw himself to his knees. "Terence!"

Terence said nothing. He did not stir as Tumnus rolled him onto his back and cradled his head in one arm. His eyes were closed, and his face was deathly white. There was an enormous rip in his clothes where the blade had slashed him, and blood flowed from the wound in his side.

Praying feverishly that he was not too late, Tumnus groped for his pack and fumbled around in it with his free hand for Lucy's cordial of fire-flower juice. When at last he located it, he placed Terence's head onto his furry lap, as he needed to use both hands to get the vial open. Once he popped the cork, he lifted up Terence's head with one hand and used the other hand to pour a ruby drop between the young man's lips, which were parted slightly.

He added two or three more drops, just to be sure, before resealing the vial.

He then waited, his heart racing, every fiber of him hoping and praying, but Terence never moved. He didn't even groan. He just lay there in Tumnus's arms, as limp and lifeless as a wet rag. "Terence?" Tumnus called softly to him, after a time. "Terence? Can you hear me, mate?"

Terence did not answer.

When Tumnus touched the man's face with his hand, the skin felt cool beneath his fingers. Tumnus ran his hand lightly over his mate's entire face, willing Terence to react, knowing how much the young man hated to be tickled—but Terence didn't even flinch.

"Terence?" Tumnus repeated anxiously, fearing the worst. He gave his lifeless friend a little shake. "Come on, Terence, wake up! Wake up! Please, wake up!"

But Terence's head merely lolled hopelessly to the other side, and still he did not respond.

"Terence!" Tumnus repeated, his voice cracking with desperation, his eyes flooding over with tears. He now shook Terence like a maniac, wailing, "No, Terence, no—please, no! Don't die on me, mate! Don't die on me! Please, you must wake up! You must!"

Still, Terence did not awake. Tumnus knew his friend was a prankster, but he also knew Terence would never play such a cruel joke like this on him. And he knew Terence would never deliberately keep him waiting—not when Tumnus really, truly needed him.

"Terence, _please!_" he began to sob, as his tears spilled freely down his cheeks. "Don't leave me here alone! I need you, Terence! _I need you!"_

In spite of his impassioned plea, Terence continued to remain as still as a statue.

He never spoke, never opened his eyes, never moved so much as a muscle.

The flow of tears running down Tumnus's face increased to a raging torrent as the terrible truth sank in, like a stone dropped into the sea, and the faun felt his heart split in two. "No!" he wailed in despair. "Dear Aslan, _no!_" With a great sob, he bent low over Terence, clasping his friend's body fiercely against his breast, pressing his wet face against the young man's cool, passive face so that his tears ended up dripping down Terence's skin as well.

_No! _the anguished faun screamed inwardly, from the deepest, furthermost recesses of his soul. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no—this isn't happening! It can't be happening! Oh, dear Aslan, wherever you are, if you can hear me, please spare my friend! Don't let him die! Please, if it be possible, take me and let him live! _

How long Tumnus knelt there in that spot and embraced Terence, he did not know, nor did he care. Nothing else in the whole world mattered. All time seemed to have come to a full and complete stop. No one else existed in the world, save for the two of them.

Tumnus wept and wailed like a lost soul, while Terence lay quiescent in the howling faun's arms. When at long last Tumnus could not weep any longer, having sobbed out all his heart, all his soul, and all his strength, he slowly sank completely to the floor, and lay there alongside Terence, in a dead faint.


	10. Chapter 10

**Friends and Foes**

_Presenting chapter 10, the very last chapter of my story! I'd actually finished this story quite some time ago; I simply hadn't gotten around to posting it until now. I was a little ambivalent, because I was unsure of the response this story would receive—and, also, I was unsure of whether or not this story, as a whole, was good enough to post. But hopefully you guys approve, and above all, I hope C.S. Lewis himself would approve. Anyway, proceed! _

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Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

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Chapter 10**

Tumnus must have passed out for some time, because the very next thing he knew, he was lying in a soft bed on his back, with something cool and moist placed on his forehead. The first thing he saw was Lucy's lovely face. She was bent over him, looking greatly concerned. "Mr. Tumnus?" she was calling softly to him. "Mr. Tumnus?"

Tumnus merely moaned.

"Are you all right, dear?" Mrs. Beaver's maternal voice asked.

She was there too, and so were Beaver and Fox. They were all gathered around Tumnus in a circle, watching him solicitously.

At first, Tumnus could not understand what was going on, but then, slowly, like water seeping through a hole in a dam, everything came trickling back into memory. He remembered the Northern Marshes…and the citadel…and meeting Ardat…and finding Terence…_Terence! _

"Terence!" Tumnus gasped aloud. He started to bolt upright.

"Easy, there, old boy," said Beaver mildly, stretching forth a cautionary paw, "you're still considerably weak. Take it nice and slowly."

Tumnus reluctantly obeyed, and raised himself very slowly to a sitting position. Glancing around, he saw that he was in his room at Cair Paravel, and he realized that the cool, wet thing draped over his forehead was a damp rag. Lucy took the rag from him and placed it in a basinful of cold water that rested on a nearby table.

"You gave us quite a scare there, Tumnus," said Fox. "When Oreius and his men carried you here to Cair Paravel, from the looks of you, we were almost certain that you were dead."

"I know you wanted to go through it alone, Mr. Tumnus," said Lucy, somewhat guiltily, "but after you'd left, we sent Oreius and a small group of soldiers out to follow you, just to make sure you were safe." She paused, then added, "It's a good thing they did."

"Terence—where is he?" Tumnus asked agitatedly. "Is he safe? Is he all right? What has become of him?"

"We have already done all that we could for Terence, dear," said Mrs. Beaver quietly, laying her forepaw gently on Tumnus's hairy forearm. "He is no longer in need of our care."

It was just as Tumnus had feared.

"Oh, no!" he groaned, feeling his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. "Oh, please, _no!_"

Everything around him became blurry and indistinct as hot tears swam in his eyes, and he plunged his face into his hands and wept bitterly. He had been too late. Terence was gone. His best mate, his very closest and truest and dearest mate in all of the world, was gone forever. Oh, this could not be true! It just couldn't!

It was all like a dream, a truly horrible and dreadful dream from which Tumnus desperately wished he could awaken but knew he never would. The pain that overwhelmed the devastated faun was too much to bear; the burden of his loss was a burden far too heavy to carry.

As Tumnus sobbed out his grief and pain, he thought back on all the good times he and Terence had shared: having tea together in Tumnus's parlor, dancing all night in the forest with the dryads, having long talks on the balcony at Cair Paravel, picnicking on the beach near the Eastern Ocean, walking through the Western Wood…times that would never come again, days that were but a mere memory, now, a thing of the past.

It was all over.

"Mr. Tumnus?" said Lucy confusedly, reaching out and lightly touching Tumnus's quaking shoulder. "Mr. Tumnus, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"

The Beavers and Fox were just as bewildered by Tumnus's behavior as the girl was. "What's this, my boy?" questioned Beaver.

"Oh, there, there, now, my dear," Mrs. Beaver soothed, "it's all right."

"No," Tumnus sobbed, without looking up. "No, it will never be all right."

Without Terence, life was hardly worth living anymore. More than anything in the world at that time, Tumnus wished he were dead, too. Death was nothing compared to this burning, agonizing pain that consumed him like fire. He sank his face deeper into his hands and wept harder, his tears leaking steadily through his fingers and sliding off the heels of his palms, dripping down onto his blanketed lap.

_Oh, Terence,_ his heart bemoaned. _Oh, Terence…Terence…my dear, dear friend…_

"Hey, hey, hey," Lucy crooned, trying to comfort the heartbroken faun. "Come on, Mr. Tumnus, please don't cry. Please, don't do that."

But Tumnus continued to sob, not caring in the very least.

"My word, boy, what a fuss you're making," said Beaver, shaking his head in disbelief. "Whatever in the world are you bawling about?"

At long last Tumnus lifted his head, his face dripping wet. "What do you expect me to be crying about?" he asked Beaver thickly, fresh tears spilling from his eyes and running down to mingle with the old ones. "My best friend is gone, and I'll never see him again."

Now Lucy, Fox, and the Beavers were looking truly puzzled.

"What?" said Fox.

"What are you saying, Mr. Tumnus?" Lucy questioned.

"Terence is dead," Tumnus repeated fervently, the words searing through his soul like a rod of white-hot iron as he uttered them. "I couldn't save him. I tried to heal him with the cordial…but it was too late. And now he's gone forever…and…a-and it's all my fault."

For a time, his companions merely looked at him.

And then, to the faun's utter astonishment, they all smiled.

Tumnus stared at them. How could they possibly be smiling, especially at a time like this? Didn't they realize Terence was gone for good? Shouldn't they be just as shaken about the young man's death as he himself was? But before Tumnus could say anything out loud, light footsteps sounded outside the room, and a familiar voice said, "Tumnus?"

Tumnus froze, not daring to trust his ears.

It couldn't be…it wasn't possible…was it?

Very slowly, Tumnus turned his head toward the door.

And there, in the doorway, as if by magic, stood Terence—alive and well. His face still sported a few minor scratches, and there were a few discolored spots where the bruises had been, but otherwise he looked like his old self.

Tumnus could not believe it. He blinked a number of times, then rubbed his eyes to make absolutely certain they weren't fooling him.

They weren't.

"T-Terence?" the flabbergasted faun stammered.

A handsome smile graced Terence's handsome face. "Tumnus," he said again, his voice filled with kindness, his deep lazuline eyes shining with love and affection.

Tumnus continued to stare at his friend for a minute more, and then, realizing this was no joke, that it truly was Terence, and that he was truly alive, the faun's whole composure turned to soup. "Oh, dear Terence!" he said with a sob, tears of gratitude and relief replacing the tears of sorrow and heartache on his cheeks.

Terence made a prompt beeline to the bed, and no sooner had he taken a seat on the soft mattress than Tumnus seized him and pulled him close, hugging him with binding strength, never wanting to let the young man go for even a second. He buried his head thankfully in Terence's neck, positively bawling like a baby.

He knew he should try to control himself, but he honestly couldn't; feeling Terence's warmth and solidity was simply too wonderful for words.

All he could do was cry, and hold on to his beloved friend.

Terence sat perfectly still and allowed Tumnus to sob all over him, completely disregarding the fact that the faun's tears were staining his clothing and deteriorating the expensive fabric.

When Tumnus finally managed to calm down somewhat, he pulled back just enough to face Terence directly, unable to hold back a laugh, even though tears continued to pour down his face. Only a moment ago, he had felt like his whole world had ended; now, the world seemed a thousand times brighter and a thousand times more splendid than before.

"Are you all right?" Terence asked him at length. "What are you so weepy about, mate? Are you really that happy to see me, or did something happen?"

Tumnus's smile faded as he recalled how he knelt in the dungeon in Ettinsmoor with Terence in his arms, how cold Terence's body felt, how Terence lay so perfectly still. The faun didn't know what had happened, how Terence could be alive—but he was quite sure his friend had died back there, when Ardat struck him down.

"Terence…I…" the faun faltered. "I…I…I thought that…that you…you…"

"That I what?" Terence queried.

Tumnus swallowed hard, then managed to say what he intended to say out loud: "I thought that you were dead."

At first Terence looked confused, but then comprehension dawned on his young, attractive face, and all he could say was, "Oh."

To be truly honest, he himself didn't know what had happened, either.

All Terence could remember was rushing in front of Tumnus to protect him when Ardat aimed his sword at the faun to slay him, and then he remembered indescribable agony as the blow fell—and the rest was all a big blank. Whether he was dead or alive, he did not know.

He did remember a soft light, and a soft voice speaking to him, though he couldn't quite distinguish the words. And the next thing he knew, he found himself in Cair Paravel, with his friends looking after him.

It was truly puzzling.

"I tried to call for you, but you wouldn't answer me," Tumnus said, choking up as tears began to flow down his face afresh. "I was so sure that I'd lost you forever…and I…and I…"

Terence raised a hand for silence. "Say no more, Tumnus," he said quietly. "Whatever happened to me, whether or not I was indeed dead, your guess is as good as mine. And, quite honestly, I really doubt it matters. I'm here, and you're here, and that's the important thing."

Tumnus knew he was right.

"Oh, Terence," he sobbed, bringing the youth back into his arms for yet another hug, "forgive me for taking you for granted. I beg you, please, forgive me. You mean so much to me; you're my best friend, my very best friend in the whole world, and I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm sorry I failed to tell you that before, when I had the chance. Oh, Terence, can you ever forgive me?"

"I already have, mate," Terence answered softly, unable to hold back a few tears himself. "And can you forgive _me_, for not being more considerate of you, for acting like a complete idiot?"

Tumnus eased his grip on the young white-haired human enough to look into his face once more. The faun smiled through his tears as he replied benevolently, "Of course, I forgive you, Terence. Like I told you before, you're my best friend. And true friends forgive one another."

Warmth flooded Terence's heart. It was now his turn to pull Tumnus into an affectionate embrace. Tumnus came willingly, and he closed his eyes and rested his head against Terence's chest, listening with joy to the strong, steady beating of Terence's heart.

Lucy smiled as she regarded the touching scene between the two friends. Fox and the Beavers smiled as well. Without a word, Lucy eased a bit closer to the faun and the young human, and Tumnus, sensing her presence, slipped a free arm around the little girl and clung to her also.

"Thank God for you, Tumnus," Terence murmured into the faun's gold-brown curls. "I wouldn't exchange our friendship for anything in the world."

"Neither would I, Terence," whispered Tumnus fervently. "Neither would I."

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A few days later, Tumnus set to work on a brilliant new thesis.

Only this time, it was a thesis concerning the subject of love, sacrifice, forgiveness, selflessness, and the true meaning of friendship.

**~ THE END ~**


	11. Extended Ending

**Friends and Foes - Extended Ending**

_After completing my story, I'd felt the ending was perhaps a bit too abrupt, so I had decided to stretch it out a bit. This little snippet here was originally going to be published separately, by itself; but then I figured since it's the same story anyway, the two pieces ought to go together._

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Terence © unicorn-skydancer08_

_Other Characters and Narnia © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media_

_**All rights reserved.**_

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Tumnus moved his quill leisurely across the sheet of parchment, words flowing steadily from the inked point in a graceful, flowing script.

Every once in a while the faun would pause to read over what he had just written, whispering the words beneath his breath; and whenever he was at a loss for words, he would set his quill aside and take a minute to think, putting his face in his hands so as to be able to concentrate, and when he had something, he'd eagerly seize his quill and begin scribbling away once more.

The faun was at work on a magnificent thesis, a thesis that discussed the significance of love and sacrifice, and what true friendship truly meant. Tumnus had received the inspiration for such a thesis only just now—it was his friend Terence, whom he'd saved from the brutal, bloody-minded man-wolf Ardat only a week or so before, who initially motivated him to write this—and he wanted to make sure it was all written just right.

Sometimes Tumnus was able to write whole paragraphs at a time, and other times he was lucky to get more than two words down. But he was patient, and he took his sweet time with the paper, knowing that his thesis would not turn out nearly as good if it were rushed.

How long he sat there and wrote, he did not know; but when he covered nearly three-fourths of the first page, a voice finally spoke to him from behind: "What are you doing, Tumnus?"

Tumnus immediately stopped, raised his head, and looked around to see Terence standing behind him, looking perfectly poised and graceful—as he always did, considering he was part unicorn. The white-haired youth had one hand resting upon the back of the chair upon which Tumnus sat, and his soulful blue eyes were watching the faun intently.

"Oh…hi, Terence," said Tumnus. Making a slight motion toward his thesis, he said vaguely, "I'm just doing a little bit of writing, is all."

Terence gazed down at the parchment for a short time, and then he asked quietly, "May I?"

Tumnus somewhat hesitantly placed his paper into his friend's outstretched hand, and Terence held it within both hands and read the words over carefully. Tumnus could hear him murmuring a few words to himself, but mostly the young man read in silence.

At first, Tumnus worried that Terence was going to brush off his writing as childish and substandard, as he had once done before. But when Terence looked up from the paper once he'd reached the end, the look on his face was such a complete contrast to what Tumnus expected that it moved the faun.

With tears glistening in his eyes, Terence said in a hushed voice, "That's solid gold, mate."

And that was all he said, and he handed Tumnus the parchment back as delicately as if he were handling fine china.

"You truly think so?" Tumnus asked hopefully.

"Yes," said Terence, "I do."

Tumnus looked into his face, and saw that he was dead serious. Touched, Tumnus was unable to keep a smile from spreading over his own face, and he felt his own eyes moisten. Embarrassed at getting all sappy in front of his friend, the faun self-consciously ducked his head and brushed at his damp eyes with the back of his wrist, while at the exact same time Terence discreetly put a hand over his face and kneaded his own eyes.

When the two friends were finally facing one another properly again, Tumnus cleared his throat and said, in his best attempt to sound prudent, "Well, then, Terence, what are you up to today?"

"Nothing much," Terence conceded. "And, quite frankly, I really don't care, just so long as I'm out and about. Lucy and the Beavers didn't want me out of bed today—they insisted I 'rest myself'—but I could not stand being cooped up in my room for one more minute."

Tumnus nodded. "I understand, mate. I, myself, was confined to my bed every day for the past week. Even when I told them I was fine, they still refused to release me until they were absolutely certain I was completely rested."

Terence didn't need to ask who Tumnus meant by "them" and "they".

"So, anyway," the young white-haired man said casually, "I just figured I'd drop by and see what _you_ were up to." Suddenly Terence had a thought. "Say, that reminds me—whatever happened to your other thesis? You know, that last one you were working on before this?"

At this, Tumnus lowered his gaze and toyed idly with his quill. "It…it sort of got ruined."

"What do you mean, 'sort of'?"

Very slowly, Tumnus lifted his gaze to Terence's. "Remember when you stormed out of my cave, after I'd ordered you to leave, and you shut the door with, how shall we say, a little more force than was necessary?"

Of course, Terence remembered all too well.

He and Tumnus had gotten into a bit of a quarrel that afternoon, and he, in his anger and resentment towards the faun, had slammed the door behind him with all his might.

The sudden bang had startled Tumnus into knocking over his ink bottle, causing all of the ink to spill out over his parchment, his desk, and everything.

When Tumnus told Terence of this, the young man felt a hot flush of embarrassment creep across his neck and face, and he bowed his head abjectly.

"I'm sorry, Tumnus," was all he could say.

Tumnus reassured him, "That's all right, mate."

"I…I didn't mean to spoil all your hard work," said Terence shamefacedly.

"I'll admit," said Tumnus, with a lopsided smile, "I was really quite put out when my first thesis was destroyed—to say nothing of the dreadful mess—but it doesn't matter, now."

"Forgive me," Terence petitioned.

Tumnus now smiled kindly at his friend, and he placed his hand very gently over Terence's hand, which lay upon the edge of the desk.

"It's all right," the faun repeated a second time. "I forgive you."

His tone and countenance grew repentant as he continued, "And, really, mate, _I'm _the one who should be asking for forgiveness. If there was anyone truly at fault at that time, it was me. I took you for granted. I failed to appreciate you, failed to acknowledge you. For that, Terence, you have my deepest apologies…and I once again implore you to forgive me."

"Of course, I forgive you, mate," said Terence, getting down to his knees on the floor in front of Tumnus and gazing undeviatingly into the faun's eyes while he said it. "Surely I have made that perfectly clear to you before."

"I know," the faun said mildly. "But I still wish to hear you say it nonetheless."

Terence said nothing to this, but he gave both Tumnus's hands a firm yet gentle squeeze, and Tumnus readily squeezed back.

Now that Terence was down to his level, Tumnus could better make out the marks on his mate's face—signs of what Terence had suffered when Ardat took him prisoner and tortured him.

Although most of the nasty bruises had cleared up, there were yet a few faint, yellowish patches here and there. Also, a ring of slight discoloration encircled each of Terence's eyes, and Tumnus could more clearly define the four long, jagged scratches that streaked down his mate's right cheek. Though the scratches were mending nicely, and were scarcely noticeable, Tumnus couldn't help wincing as he imagined Terence receiving them to begin with.

Terence knew what Tumnus was thinking, and he absently lifted one hand to his cheek and ran his fingers tenderly over the thin white scars. "Ardat," the silver-haired youth said at length, "gave these to me when I refused to tell him of your whereabouts, even after all the pain his minotaurs inflicted on me. After they'd laid a good number of lashes on my back, Ardat strode up to me as I hung down from the chains that tethered me to the wall and ordered me to speak, as he always did after I'd undergone one kind of torture or another. When I wouldn't say anything, he flew into a rage and struck me right in the face, right then and there."

"Did it hurt a lot?" Tumnus immediately felt foolish for asking such an obvious question.

Still, Terence opted to answer him. "Let me put it this way, mate," he said wryly. "Imagine getting nicked in the face with four freshly sharpened knives—all at the exact same time."

Tumnus blenched at the notion. "Oh, my…"

"In a way, I was almost glad of the whipping I had just received at that time," Terence said as he continued to caress his scars. "It helped to balance out the pain of my new injury."

"I'm so sorry, Terence," said Tumnus, shaking his head very sorrowfully. "I'm sorry you had to suffer so, on my account. If I could, I would have taken your place in a heartbeat…"

But Terence shook his head and objected, "No, mate. I would never have let you trade places with me, for all the world. I would have gladly died before I'd have given you up to someone like Ardat."

A layer of fresh tears coated Tumnus's eyes at this profound statement.

"Oh, Terence," was all he could say before collapsing into sobs.

He slumped forward, burying his face deep into Terence's shoulder, and Terence willingly enfolded the faun in his sturdy arms and allowed him to cry. The young human could feel tears of his very own spilling forth, and he rested his forehead against Tumnus's honey-brown mop of curls and also wept freely.

The two friends cried in one another's arms for a time; and as they regained control of themselves and began to calm down once more, they very slowly released their grip on each other and drew apart, and Tumnus straightened his posture, while Terence continued to kneel at the faun's hooves.

For the first few minutes or so, they gazed silently into one another's tear-streaked faces, and when Tumnus at last regained sufficient use of his tongue and could speak, he said, "Truly, Terence, you are a noble soul. For what you have done for me, I can find no words with which to properly express my thanks." The faun smiled through his veil of tears and lowered his voice as he went on deferentially, "I owe you my life, mate."

"And I, in turn, am indebted to you, Tumnus," Terence replied huskily. "You came for me, and helped me when I was in desperate trouble, at the risk of your own safety. Only a true friend would have done what you've done."

Tumnus said nothing more after that, but he reached out and clasped Terence's shoulder, and Terence amiably covered the faun's hand with his own.

At long last Terence climbed back to his feet, saying, "Well, mate, I suppose I should let you get back to your writing."

He started to walk away, but he'd barely taken four steps when Tumnus called after him, "Wait, Terence."

Immediately the man stopped and looked back, and Tumnus rose to his hooves.

"If you're not doing anything else," said the faun, running his fingers somewhat distractedly through his curls, brushing them away from his forehead, "I was wondering if you'd like to spend the afternoon with me. You know, just the two of us."

"But what about your paper?" Terence questioned.

"Ah, it can wait a day or so," said Tumnus dismissively. "After all, it's just a piece of paper. You're much more important to me than any old scrap of parchment."

"You mean it?" Terence asked softly, staring at the faun in amazement.

Tumnus nodded benevolently. "I mean it. So, what do you say?"

Terence now offered a roguish grin. "I just got one thing to say, mate: last one to the beach is a lily-livered lummox!" And with that, he bolted out of the room like it was on fire.

Tumnus promptly took off after him, hollering gleefully, "We shall see about that, you old heifer!"

**~ END ~**


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